The research, conducted by Peter Rothwell and published in The Lancet, adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests aspirin is an effective anti-cancer drug. It's been known for over a year that the drug can cut cancer risk by over 60 per cent—and it's now speculated that it achieves this by affecting blood platelets to reduce inflammation.

But the new study also suggests that cancer patients who take daily aspirin for 6.5 years have almost half the chance of their cancer spreading as those who don't take the drug. It's tempting to suggest that aspirin is a miracle drug, but it does bring with it some side effects—such as internal bleeding—so the researchers urge people to seek advice before taking aspirin as a matter of course. [The Lancet]